Child Abuse

A Parent's Guide...LISD Guidance & Counseling

What is child sexual abuse?

Child sexual abuse happens when a child is tricked, forced, or manipulated in sexual contact.
This includes phone and internet contact with obscene, sexual content, fondling, intercourse,
oral/genital contact, prostitution, and pornography.

Facts and statistics...

As many as forty million Americans, one in six people have experienced sexual victimization as
children. The vast majority of sexual abuse incidents are never reported to the authorities
making it the most under-reported crimes against children.

The reality is that your child is most at risk for sexual abuse from someone he or she knows
a relative, family friend, neighbor or trusted adult. Ninety-three percent of juvenile sexual
assault victims know their attacker*. The offender rarely has to use force because he or she is
usually known and trusted by the child. The offender uses that trust to trick or manipulate the
child into compliance.
Source: National Center for Victims of Crime, victimsofcrime.org

Symptoms...

There are often no obvious physical signs of child sexual abuse. However, there are some
symptoms that could indicate that a child has been a victim of sexual abuse. The child may be
extremely withdrawn, fearful of adults and/or exhibit very confusing behaviors.

Behavioral
Unusual interest in (or fear of) all things of a sexual nature
Seductive or promiscuous behavior
Sexual acting out
Change in eating or sleeping habits
Change in school performance/behavior

Emotional
Significant personality change
Anger, hostility, aggressiveness
Depression, crying episodes
Suicidal, talks of death and dying

Physical
Discomfort or pain in genital area
Urinary infections
Vaginal, rectal, penile discharge, or bleeding
Unusual/offensive odors


Additional Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/injury

Childrens Bureau, Administration for Children and
Families
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb

Child Welfare Information Gateway
www.childwelfare.gov

FRIENDS National Resource Center
www.friendsnrc.org

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child
www.developingchild.net


Personal wellness. Empowered students. Promising futures.
LI SD Guidance & Counseling
What to say and do if you suspect a child has
been abused...
The reaction of the person a child tells is an important factor in
their recovery. Calm support can significantly reduce the trauma
of sexual abuse for a child.

BELIEVE
Believe the child. Children rarely lie about sexual abuse
AFFIRM
Commend the child for telling you about the event
SUPPORT
Guilt and self-blame usually contribute to the problem.
Reassure the child that it is not his/her fault, regardless of the
circumstances
EMPOWER
Let the child know you will help. Give him/her the NO, GO,
TELL rules if the abuse should happen again.
REFER
In Texas, all suspected cases of abuse must be reported to
Childrens Protective Services (CPS) or the local police. The
numbers below are a starting point.

If you have ANY questions on how to talk to your child about
sexual abuse, please feel free to ask your physician, police,
school nurse or counselor. Keeping this information to yourself
allows the perpetrator to continue to abuse other children.

Prevention tips...

Education is the best way to prevent your child from becoming a victim. Teaching your
child not to talk to strangers is simply not adequate. In addition to the fact that most
children are molested by someone known to them, children are also susceptible to clever
lures developed by intelligent offenders who understand a childs thinking. Children should
be educated to recognize these lures:
The offering of gifts, candy, money, bribes
Appealing to the childs sense of helpfulness such as asking for assistance in finding
a lost dog
Offering a ride on a motorcycle, or sports car
Telling the children that their parents sent to pick them up
Telling them their parents were hurt in an accident and the hospital sent them to
pick the children Up

Parents should also teach their children about their bodies and about appropriate and
inappropriate touching
1. Teach your child that his/her body belongs to them and they have the right to say NO to
anyone who touches them.
2. Tell your child that you want them to come to you if anything happens that makes them
feel uncomfortable and that you wont be angry no matter what happened (even if they got
into trouble because they broke a rule).
3. Do not teach your child blind obedience to adults - teacher, babysitter, etc. if they ask
them to do something they know or think is wrong.
4. Teach your child the correct names of their body parts. Teach them that they dont have
to be embarrassed to talk to you about their private areas.

Teach Your Child the
NO! GO! TELL! RULE




Say NO if someone makes
you feel uncomfortable,
scared, or touches you in a
way you don't like





Do your best to GO away
from the stranger or person




TELL your parent or an adult
you trust about what
happened right away
NO!
GO!
TELL!